[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 121 (Monday, June 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35436-35437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14050]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2008-0034]


Notice of Request for the Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend 
the following currently approved information collection: 49 U.S.C. 
Section 5330--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before August 22, 2008.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once 
into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by 
only one of the following methods:
    1. Web site: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site. 
(Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic 
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic 
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site 
at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below 
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
    2. Fax: 202-366-7951.
    3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number 
for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of 
your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has 
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note 
that all comments received, including any personal information, will be 
posted and will be available to Internet users, without change, to 
www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete

[[Page 35437]]

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000 
(65 FR 19477), or you may visit www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access 
to the docket to read background documents and comments received, go to 
www.regulations.gov at any time. Background documents and comments 
received may also be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Levern McElveen, Safety Team 
Leader, Office of Safety and Security, (202) 366-1651, or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to 
minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the 
collected information. Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of 
this information collection.
    Title: 49 U.S.C. Section 5330--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State 
Safety Oversight (OMB Number: 2132-0558).
    Background: 49 U.S.C. Section 5330 requires States to designate a 
State Safety Oversight (SSO) agency to oversee the safety and security 
of each rail transit agency within the State's jurisdiction. To comply 
with Section 5330, SSO agencies must develop program standards which 
meet FTA's minimum requirements. In the Program Standard, which must be 
approved by FTA, each SSO agency must require each rail transit agency 
in the State's jurisdiction to prepare and implement a System Safety 
Program Plan (SSPP) and System Security Plan (SSP). The SSO agency also 
requires the rail transit agencies in its jurisdiction to conduct 
specific activities, such as accident investigation, implementation of 
a hazard management program, and the management of an internal safety 
and security audit process. SSO agencies review and approve the SSPPs 
and SSPs of the rail transit agencies. Once every three years, States 
conduct an on-site review of the rail transit agencies in their 
jurisdictions to assess SSPP/SSP implementation and to determine 
whether these plans are effective and if they need to be updated. SSO 
agencies develop final reports documenting the findings from these on-
site reviews and require corrective actions. SSO agencies also review 
and approve accident investigation reports, participate in the rail 
transit agency's hazard management program, and oversee implementation 
of the rail transit agency's internal safety and security audit 
process. SSO agencies review and approve corrective action plans and 
track and monitor rail transit agency activities to implement them.
    Collection of this information enables each SSO agency to monitor 
each rail transit agency's implementation of the State's requirements 
as specified in the Program Standard approved by FTA. Without this 
information, States would not be able to oversee the rail transit 
agencies in their jurisdictions. Recent recommendations from the 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) have encouraged States and rail transit 
agencies to devote additional resources to these safety activities and 
safety oversight in general.
    SSO agencies also submit an annual certification to FTA that the 
State is in compliance with Section 5330 and an annual report 
documenting the State's safety and security oversight activities. FTA 
uses the annual information submitted by the States to monitor 
implementation of the program. If a State fails to comply with Section 
5330, FTA may withhold up to five percent of the funds appropriated for 
use in a State or urbanized area in the State under section 5307. The 
information submitted by the States ensures FTA's compliance with 
applicable federal laws, OMB Circular A-102, and 49 CFR Part 18, 
``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements with State and Local Governments.''
    Respondents: State and local government agencies.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: Annually, each designated 
SSO agency devotes approximately 767 hours to information collection 
activities for each of the rail transit agencies in the State's 
jurisdiction. Combined, the SSO agencies spend approximately 33,770 
hours on information collection activities each year, or roughly half 
of the total level of effort devoted to implement Section 5330 
requirements in a given year. The local governments affected by Section 
5330, including the rail transit agencies, spend an annual total of 
108,623 hours on information collection activities to support 
implementation of Section 5330, or approximately 2,469 hours each. This 
amount also equals approximately half of the total level of effort 
devoted to implement Section 5330 requirements in a given year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 142,393 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.

    Issued: June 16, 2008.
 Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-14050 Filed 6-20-08; 8:45 am]
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